Memories shape how one remembers stories and shows how they function in society. It is how people recollect stories that show their perspectives, and what they think is important to history. However, people choose consciously and subconsciously what to include when telling these stories. Dominant or superior people in society are the ones who decide what stories continue to be told in history. This can cause memories to be threatening, avoided, or violent, because people who observe the suffering, or are a part of it, sometimes only see one side of the story. How one responds to a memory is based on their personal experiences. As Candace Mclean explains in her essay on “Dangerous Memories” people can only rely on themselves to see different perspectives on memories.
From my own experiences, I can see how the words I use and stories I tell can fit into all the categories Candace Mclean’s theory describes, of dangerous, pacifying, and poisonous memories. For example, a memory from my spring break can fall into these categories of when my family decided to take a trip to Hawaii. When arriving in Hawaii, I assumed that native Hawaiian people would be unfriendly because of the stories my parents had told me as a kid. One day my family and I were driving down a road and I read a sign that said “Why do Haoles lie, steal, and kill?” I did not realize how whites had targets on their backs and it made me feel awful. I was not going to harm anyone; I just wanted to explore the island. I did not consider, when seeing this, what Candace Mclean said in her article about dangerous memories, “what we remember and how we remember shapes, not only our narratives of the past and who we were, but who we are now and where we are headed”. My perspective on Hawaiian people was that they hated whites for no good reason. However, Mclean explains how overtime memories will change because parts will get lost and one will experience new memories or hear other perspectives. Before, I did not think to understand why native Hawaiians may feel this way toward whites. By questioning my own thoughts, I can then understand why this memory is dangerous, pacifying and poisonous.
This story can easily be seen as a “dangerous memory” for Hawaiians and whites because of racial prejudice. Mclean explained that with dangerous memories, “there is still a relationship that continues between the living and the dead”. This means that even when whites die and Hawaiians die their stories will continue to be shared. Johann Baptist Metz came up with the idea behind “dangerous memories” and said that it is important to not drown out the victims who have different beliefs . The victims in the case, lie with the native Hawaiians. When whites came to the island the natives felt that whites were “ignorant and aloof to local ways”. Whites did not follow native Hawaiian traditions which was offensive to them. The word Haole soon became a racial slur for white people because when missionaries moved to Hawaii they “imposed strict rules prohibiting games, singing, and playing”, which meant certain native Hawaiian traditions suffered. I believe the native Hawaiians have the right to feel that whites do not belong in Hawaii. I was ignorant to think that my thoughts and actions are the right ones. I did not realize that maybe the Hawaiians do not want to be a part of America and they would rather have their own culture and be separate. This shows how “dangerous memories” people have been surrounded with shape how they see others and until they are taught other ways of remembering they will not change.
In addition, this story functions being a “nostalgic or pacifying memory”, as well. Mclean describes these memories by saying that they “try to dull the impact of truly interruptive experiences of injustice in history” . It is where people, usually the oppressor, tries to justify their actions with saying things like “well they did this to us so its ok that we did this to them”. Also, they might try to justify the situation by thinking they know what is best for the oppressed. The story of the Hawaiians and whites trying to convert them to Christianity and change their culture is a pacifying memory. The Hawaiians are the victims of a memory that is trying to be rationalized. Whites try to push their beliefs on the natives and the natives wanted to keep their beliefs and culture alive. Whites did not understand and would not respect the natives because they continued throughout the 1800’s trying to convert Hawaiians to Christianity . As Mclean would say these memories “demand lamentation and repentance” but instead were justified by the white people because they thought their religion was more important. This challenges my understanding behind the intentions of humans. If the whites were to see that maybe what the Hawaiians want is for them to lament the suffering they have caused then maybe the Hawaiians would come to peace with the change. As Mclean mentions, if humans do not admit their mistakes the problem of injustice will continue.
The violence whites faced after migrating to the islands was hateful and some would consider it revenge for destroying Hawaiian culture. As Mclean says this is a “poisonous memory” where the “victim becomes the victimizer” . The Hawaiians became the victimizers spreading violence and hate through schools. From my story, I was, and my parents were not wrong to fear the prejudice. The reason why is because of a day called “Kill Haole Day”. It is usually the last day of school before summer and non-white students will attack white Hawaiian students. These attacks are racially motivated. No matter how you look at it, it is wrong to fight for change with violence. I understand why Hawaiians could be unhappy with the loss of culture and native religion but peace will not come from revenge. Mclean would say it “ultimately means only more violence without lasting change or hope for those who have been wronged”. Hawaiians are creating more hatred by using violence to say what they want instead of peaceful protests. Mclean wants people to see that poisonous memories are humans reacting to a problem where the victims feel they cannot get what they want without violence. The tension does not subside and the hate continues.
The problem with memories is that they can become static. This means that everyone remembers different parts to stories. However, people never question their perspectives. Inevitably humans leave out certain parts of stories and they change over time. So, Mclean asks a question “Do these realities mean that memory is never to be trusted?” She answered the question and I agree with her answer. Memories will change but it is important to realize what people remember and how people tell the story because this determines how it will be interpreted in the future. If someone sees a problem with the way a memory is being told then it is in their power to change it.